Great Balls of Fire, Part 1
"Great Balls of Fire, Part 1" is the first episode of the tenth season of the Murdoch Mysteries, the one hundredth thirty-third episode of the series and the season premiere. It was sneak previewed on Oct.1, 2016 at Unlock the Mysteries of Murdoch:The Ultimate Insider Conference. It first aired on October 10, 2016. Summary Murdoch suspects that rivals for a wealthy bachelor's affections may be responsible for a debutante's murder. In the wake of Ogden’s near-death experience at the hands of a deranged former patient, Murdoch is trying to create some normalcy in their shared life by moving ahead with plans to build a house. Ogden appears to be recovered but her physical well-being hides trauma to her spirit and psyche. The doctor masks it well as the couple spends a night on the town at the Grand Hotel for an elegant debutante ball. Dr. Ogden’s friend, Lady Suzanne Atherly, has recently arrived from London and is using the event to introduce her daughter Elizabeth to Toronto society and the very eligible bachelor Rodney Strong. As Ogden entertains her guest, Murdoch is assailed by George Crabtree’s commentary on the young unmarried women vying for the affections of the eligible wealthy suitor. When one of the debutantes Ruth Embree is murdered, Murdoch suspects that rivals for the bachelor’s affections may be responsible. Miss Embree's best friend, Faye Sloane, reveals that Ruth was carrying a secret. Then, Faye Sloane, who had no interest in marrying Mr. Strong, is found murdered in her apartment. The only one with a possible motive for killing her is Lady Atherly, who knew Miss Sloane was snooping around the Atherly family's past back in England. Murdoch wires Scotland Yard and a detective there agrees to look into it. The Inspector points out that bobby best get to it, "At the rate we are going, there is going to be nobody left to marry this bloody bachelor!" Meanwhile, Constable Higgins picks up a dirty, smelly smoking habit, and may very well be the person who accidentally starts the conflagration that consumes a large section of Toronto. Character Revelations * Julia is concealing her 'post traumatic stress disorder', albeit not yet diagnosed as such (since PTSD is not officially classified until 1980). * George reads Madge Merton's "Page For Women" in the Toronto Daily Star an essential reading for anybody who wants to know the ins and outs of Toronto Society. * Brackenreid tells Murdoch, "When Margaret says she's "fine", I know that I'm one step away from the doghouse." * Miss James begins to work outside the morgue, at a second crime scene she tells Murdoch, "I never knew there was so such peril in being young, rich and white." * Nina Bloom was a debutante herself and she has a brother who spent time in Don Jail. Continuity * Julia Ogden has experienced "near death" moments throughout the series: after her abortion revealed in Shades of Grey, in Snakes and Ladders, [[Murdoch in Toyland|'Murdoch in Toyland']], and The Murdoch Trap. * Having his finger on the pulse of the latest new “thing” in society, Crabtree educates Murdoch about who—and who doesn’t—have a shot at winning Rodney’s heart. * Brackenreid uses another British slang "not a '''dicky bird", meaning 'to say or hear nothing'; This idiom is from rhyming slang, in which ''''dicky bird' stands for 'word'. * At The Star Room, there is a debutante routine. * George-Nina Relationship hits a rocky patch when her brother appears. * The killing of Eva Pearce is not glossed over; Julia is in a fragile emotional state and Inspector Brackenreid recognizes the symptoms and steps up to help the good doctor: A return favor for the doctor helping him in On the Waterfront. * Episode ends on a 'cliffhanger' and Part 2 begins exactly where Part 1 ended. Historical References * This episode takes place in Toronto 1904 – Edward VII (Albert Edward;1841-1910) is King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas. * Elmina Ella Susannah Elliott of Oakville, Ontario wrote under the nom-de-plume of Madge Merton as a journalist for the Montreal Herald and the Toronto Daily Star. * The Great Toronto Fire of 1904, one of the seminal events in the city's history. Trivia * The third official pairing of episodes with Part 1 and 2 in the Murdoch Mysteries' titles. * Third time a Downton Abbey cast member guest stars; the first time was in Winston's Lost Night, '''''followed by A Merry Murdoch Christmas.'' * Allusion to The Bachelor TV franchise and the'' ''1976 American supernatural horror film ''Carrie '''''based on Stephen King's 1974 novel. * Filmed at Parkwood Estate in Oshawa, Ontario. Errors * The water cooler was first invented in early 1906. Cast Main Cast Yannick Bisson as Detective William Murdoch Hélène Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden Thomas Craig as Inspector Thomas Brackenreid Jonny Harris as Constable George Crabtree Recurring Cast Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins Mouna Traoré as Rebecca James Daiva Johnston as Eva Pearce Erin Agostino as Nina Bloom Katy Breier as Lydia Hall Guest Cast Samantha Bond as Lady Suzanne Atherly Dominique Provost-Chalkley as Elizabeth Atherly Kyle Cameron as Rodney Strong Caroline Palmer as Faye Sloane Hannah Whitmore as Jennie Berridge Kelly Van der Burg as Madeline Wellwood Stefne Mercedes as Erma Fairhurst Harmon Walsh as Bishop Kristina Nicoll as Madge Merton Sean Connolly Affleck as Samuel Bloom Alison J. Palmer as Mathilda Thorn Nathan Hoppe as Constable Gallery Murdoch S10E01 c-highres.jpg|Crabtree and Murdoch at the Ball... Murdoch_S10E01_a-highres.jpg|Julia with friend Lady Suzanne Murdoch_S10E01_e-highres.jpg|Shades of "Carrie" 1001 Crime Scene 1.PNG|Crime Scene 1001 Crime Scene 2.PNG|"...I'd give anything for just a quiet evening out with my wife."|link=William-Julia Relationship 1001 Julia 3.PNG|The murder triggers... 1001 Eva haunts 4.PNG|Eva's haunting begins mm1001_victim.PNG|Miss James and Murdoch discuss the victim. 1001 Eva haunts 8.PNG mm1001 Gazette .PNG|George reads society page mm1001 Gazette news.PNG|Toronto Gazette announces engagement 1001 victim #2 11.PNG|Victim No. 2 Faye Sloane 1001 Eva drinks 10.PNG|Eva drinks to Julia after the Inspector leaves 1001 Nina's Brother 12.PNG|George meets Nina's brother Sam 1001 Fire Trap 15.PNG|The fire trap Category:Season Premieres Category:Season Ten Category:Season Error